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Silver - Firms: litigation
Headlines were made in 2022 when some of the country’s most esteemed practitioners departed Paul Weiss to create new litigation boutique Groombridge Wu Baughman & Stone. The team is split between its offices in New York and DC, with the latter being home to Steven Baughman and Megan Raymond. The pair are both extremely well known for their PTAB work. Baughman went 47-0 in final written decisions on behalf of challengers in the early stages of PTAB trials, and has gone on to act as counsel in more than 190 post-grant proceedings. Raymond is one of the top 50 women in PTAB trials, and has also developed a stellar reputation for her contentious skills in district courts and the ITC.
Silver - Firms: litigation
Headlines were made in 2022 when some of the country’s most esteemed practitioners departed Paul Weiss to create new litigation boutique Groombridge Wu Baughman & Stone. The team is split between its offices in New York and DC, with the former being home to Nicholas Groombridge, Eric Alan Stone and Jennifer Wu. Groombridge is undoubtedly one of the best litigators in the country, having acted as lead counsel in more than 150 federal district court matters, over 30 appeals and dozens of bench and jury trials. Stone is a deeply experienced practitioner with particular expertise in biotechnology and pharmaceutical litigation. Wu is a biologics expert and a stellar advocate, with extensive trial and appellate experience. She also undertakes significant pro bono work for Asian-American victims of racially motivated violence.
Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP is a patent litigation firm, trying cases in court before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), in the International Trade Commission (ITC), in arbitrations and arguing appeals before the Federal Circuit. The firm’s lawyers are known for their rapport with juries and judges in court, the care and devotion with which they approach their clients and their thought leadership in patent law and policy. The firm also has a robust social justice component: GWBS lawyers are nationally recognised leaders in areas of anti-Asian racism and violence; LGBTQ+ rights; HIV and AIDS confidentiality; and criminal justice, among other areas. The firm is known for its training opportunities; teaching and preparing young lawyers to succeed at the firm, in government and in house as clients.
The firm’s six partners collectively have more than 100 years in practice. They founded GWBS in November 2022 to sell expertise rather than leverage, to build a firm as diverse in its composition as it is in its practice and to combine world-class litigation with service to society. The firm grew quickly to more than 20 lawyers, more than half of whom are diverse. Firm lawyers have been listed as leading practitioners in Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 and Benchmark Litigation, among others.
Patent litigation
GWBS represents only innovators, as both plaintiffs and defendants. Its clients span the breadth of patent-related industries, with deep experience in both the tech and life sciences sectors. For example, GWBS lawyers brought the first case alleging infringement under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act, tried the first case under that Act and have tried many Hatch-Waxman cases. Firm lawyers have obtained jury victories totalling more than $1 billion and have successfully defended against even larger claims.
PTAB practice
GWBS lawyers have been pioneering trial practice at the PTAB since the first minutes of its operation on September 16 2012 – filing multiple petitions early that morning – and have appeared continuously before the PTAB in more than 190 high stakes inter partes reviews, post grant reviews and covered business method reviews on behalf of both petitioners and patent owners. The firm’s lawyers also have extensive experience in ex parte reexaminations.
Federal Circuit practice
GWBS lawyers have argued dozens of appeals in the Federal Circuit, including appeals from cases in which they did not participate in the trial court. They represent appellants and appellees alike, in cases focusing on substantive patent law, civil procedure and policy and a broad range of scientific and technical disciplines.
ITC practice
GWBS lawyers have led and tried cases before the ITC involving a broad range of technologies, including LEDs, flash memory chip fabrication, wireless communications, sonar, video games, microfluidic devices and botulinum toxin.
Trade secret practice
GWBS represents plaintiffs and defendants in trade secret litigation in federal and state courts. Some of their cases involve patents as well, while others are pure trade secret and data-misappropriation cases.
International experience
GWBS lawyers regularly act for clients in disputes that span the globe, coordinating international strategy while leading the US component of the controversy. The firm’s clients are headquartered around the world, with particular expertise representing European, Japanese and Israeli companies.
Jurisdiction